Hanson: Not Dead, Still (Somewhat) Relevant

I have a very eclectic group of co-workers.

This fact is never more evident than when we get to chit-chatting and the topics bounce from one end of the spectrum to the other, often within the same breath.

Today was one of those days as we went from talking about books we read in high school to self-cleaning litter boxes to broken bones to the eventual gold mine of our conversation, Hanson.

Yes, that Hanson.

If you’re anything like me, you were under the impression that the Hanson brothers died somewhere around the turn of the century.

As it turns out, it was just their musical careers that kicked the bucket.

Granted, they’re still making music—apparently they just released their eighth album a year ago—but the magic disappeared when they hit puberty and everyone knows it.

Seriously, name a Hanson song other than “MMMBop.” I dare you.

Despite their lack of mainstream musical success in the last 15 years or so, the brothers are hard at work to maintain their relevance:

“We of course make records, they are fundamental to what we do, but we wanted to create a brand so that our fans have a greater experience,” Zac Hanson said at Oxford University Union on Monday night.

The band already has a board game called—*brace yourselves*—Hansonopoly, but they’re trying their hand at a new product that figures to appeal to the same crowd that lived through Hanson-mania in 1997…beer.

The Hanson brothers are developing an Indian Pale Ale named “MMMHop IPA.” The brew is slated for release in early 2012.

First and foremost, this sounds like a complete and utter train wreck waiting to happen.

That having been said, it also sounds like the greatest business venture of all-time.

I don’t know about the rest of y’all, but I’m definitely going to drink this crap and believe me, that’s exactly what it is going to be, crap.

I have no doubt that this will rank right alongside Panther Ice Ale as one of the single worst beverages I’ve ever encountered, but there’s no way I could possibly pass this up.

And that is why this is so genius. There is no way I’m alone on this.

Everyone who either reveled in Hanson-mania or suffered through it will go out and buy a six-pack of this stuff for the sake of either nostalgia or irony.

So what do My Faithful Readers think: great business idea or doomed for failure?